Unbelievable: A Monster Lurks in Wales...

Unless someone shoots a Bigfoot, or a Nessie washes up on the shore of Loch Ness in the next few days, this will likely be my final post before the holidays. Fortunately, the subject matter is a very good one!

Available right now is a brand new graphic novel written and illustrated by a friend of mine who lives in Wales: Simon Wyatt. Its title is Unbelievable: The Man Who Ate Daffodils.

If you have read my book, The Real Men in Black, you will have seen Simon's excellent artwork contained within its pages. Specifically, the drawings of two Men in Black and of the legendary Mothman of Point Pleasant, West Virginia.

So, with that said, what is Simon's book all about? Well, I'll tell you! And probably the best way for me to do that is by including here the Foreword I wrote for Simon's book, and which reads as follows:

"Not only is Simon Wyatt a highly-skilled artist and a gifted story-teller with a fine imagination, he's also a mate. And so, when Simon asked me if I would be willing to write a foreword for his latest mighty, monstrous tome, my answer was a quick and enthusiastic 'Yes!'

"So, after a copy of the manuscript made its way across the Atlantic to my home in Dallas, Texas, I sat down on what was an appropriately dark, stormy and windswept night to read Simon's story. And, I'm very pleased that I did!

"Simon has skilfully weaved together a swirling tale of magical, Gothic, cryptozoological and sinister proportions that rather reminds me of a perfect combination of those classic old Hammer horror-films of the late 1950s and 1960s; The Hound of the Baskervilles; Primeval; Scooby-Doo; The Secret Seven; and a good old adventure tale of the type that are sorely missed today. And all told in Simon's own unique style and brand, too, of course.

"Hideous killer-beasts roaming around the darkened, shadowy streets of a small Welsh town; creepy and eccentric characters with black secrets and hidden agendas; a few adventurous kids who are at the heart of the puzzle; fantastic myths and tales of centuries past; and much more all combine to create a suspense-filled story that will appeal to anyone and everyone with an appreciation of all-things weird and ominously atmospheric.

"Part-detective story, part-monster hunt, and part-whodunit, the story Simon tells will keep you entertained right up to (and including, of course!) the absolute last page.

"And the very good news is that more volumes - and more dark goings-on - are destined to follow! Keep 'em coming, Si!"

And, if that has caught your attention (and hopefully it has!), here's a bunch of links where you can find more about Simon's work, his new book, Unbelievable, and how and where to purchase your very own copies.

Click on the links for all the info:Markosia's Website listing and order details: http://www.markosia.com/wordpress/titles/unbelievable-the-man-who-ate-daffodilis/

A review by Starburst magazine: http://www.starburstmagazine.com/reviews/comic-reviewscomics-a-graphic-novels/1098-comic-review-unbelievable-the-man-who-ate-daffodils-by-simon-wyatt

Free preview: http://www.myebook.com/index.php?option=ebook&id=91245

Official Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Unbelievable-The-Man-Who-Ate-Daffodils/227365990640745?sk=wall&filter=12

And last but not least, Simon's blog, StrangelyDrawn; http://simonwyatt.blogspot.com/

Lost Civilizations and Secrets of the Past

Just published is a new title from New Page Books: Exposed, Uncovered, and Declassified: Lost Civilizations & Secrets of the Past.

Edited by Michael Pye and Kirsten Dalley, it's the third in the Exposed, Uncovered, and Declassified series, and includes from me a paper on government interest in ancient mysteries, including (a) the saga of Noah's Ark, (b) Contactee George Van Tassel's theories that alien visitation provoked many of the accounts recorded in the Bible, and (c) claims that the Pyramids of Egypt were constructed via the means of levitation.

And here's the blurb from New Page Books outlining the books' contents:


Exposed, Uncovered, and Declassified: Lost Civilizations & Secrets of the Past.

Authors: Michael Pye and Kirsten Dalley.

Subject:Ancient Mysteries.

ISBN-13: 978-1-60163-196-1.

Pages: 224.

Dimensions: 6 x 9 inches.

Format: Paper.

Price: $15.99.

Original Essays by Erich von Daniken, Philip Coppens, Frank Joseph, Nick Redfern, Thomas G. Brophy, Steven Sora, Marie D. Jones & Larry Flaxman, Oberon Zell-Ravenheart, Scott Alan Roberts, Freddy Silva, Micah Hanks, Patrick C. Chouinard, Adrian Gilbert, William Bramley, and Paul Von Ward.

"Mystery creates wonder and wonder is the basis of man’s desire to understand."—Neil Armstrong.

Were Atlantis and Lemuria factual places?

Who built the pyramids and for what purpose?

How advanced was the technology of ancient cultures?

All this and more is covered in Exposed, Uncovered, and Declassified: Lost Civilizations & Secrets of the Past—the latest in the all-original series that is already sparking lively debate.

Erich von Däniken, best-selling author of Chariots of the Gods, examines the Egyptian pyramids, studying their astronomical implications and what message they were meant to convey. Thomas G. Brophy, PhD, focuses on the mysterious Nabta Playa site in southern Egypt and its connection to African history.

Intrepid explorer of ancient America Frank Joseph covers archeological scandals and attempts to suppress evidence, including the Smithsonian’s "loss" of Maya skulls discovered in the Aleutian Islands. Researcher Steven Sora, author of The Lost Colony, delves into evidence that Scotland’s Picts originated in North America and were connected to the ancient Micmac tribe of the Americas.

Philip Coppens of the History Channel’s Ancient Aliens explores an ancient Celtic network of roads that may be connected to a 4,000-year-old land-based reproduction of Atlantis. Scholar and mystery explorer Oberon Zell-Ravenheart brings together the Garden of Eden, the Tree of Life, the great deluge, and the sinking of Lemuria.

Marie D. Jones & Larry Flaxman (11:11: The Time Prompt Phenomenon) explore what ancient civilizations knew about sound and resonance, and how they may have used them to build megaliths and pyramids, and achieve altered states. Journalist Nick Redfern reveals the U.S. government’s abiding interest in our ancient past, religious mysteries, and enigmatic artifacts.

Evidence of these ancient mysteries is everywhere—if you know what to look for. Whether you’re a believer, a skeptic, or somewhere in between, Exposed, Uncovered, and Declassified: Lost Civilizations & Secrets of the Past is sure to entertain and educate.

Michael Pye has been an acquisitions editor for New Page Books since 2003 acquiring hundreds of books in that time. He developed a healthy appetite for the unexplained by watching far too many episodes of In Search Of hosted by Leonard Nimoy after school instead of doing his homework, which turned him into a reader of books on the strange and unexplained. He earned a BA in English from Southern Connecticut State University.

Kirsten Dalley has functioned in various editorial capacities at New Page Books since 2004. She is coauthor of The Nightmare Encyclopedia, along with Jeff Belanger. She graduated from Columbia University with a BA in comparative literature, which has proven to be of use in both her career and her leisure pursuits (reading fiction and riding sportbikes).

Fiction of the Fortean Kind

This is very good news: the Center for Fortean Zoology has set up yet another publishing company (alongside CFZ Press and Fortean Words). The new one is called Fortean Fiction and, as its name suggests, it's solely dedicate to publishing novels on matters of a Fortean nature.

You can find out all about Fortean Fiction at this link at the CFZ's blog, including a new title from the CFZ's Richard Freeman, and a title on the Loch Ness Monster.

Top Cryptozoology Books: 2011

Over at Cryptomundo, Loren Coleman provides us with info and images on his favorite cryptozoological books of 2011, and also gives us some insight into what's coming next year. In fact, 2012 looks to be an excellent year for crypto-titles!

Here's the link.